Section 4 Introduction

University System of Georgia (USG) institutions shall be guided by general travel regulations set forth in this section when employees are required to travel away from headquarters in the performance of their official duties. These regulations, which are general in nature, are intended to provide a reasonable degree of uniformity for the various institutions within the system, and may be supplemented with such specific regulations and instructions as may be required.

In requiring certain of its employees to travel in the performance of their duties, the USG expects to reimburse them for reasonable and necessary expenses as may be incurred while traveling away from their official headquarters and places of residence. In cooperation with regulations promulgated by the State Accounting Office (SAO) and the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB), the Board of Regents (BoR) has adopted the following general regulations regarding travel of employees on USG official business.

Note: State travel regulations can be accessed at: http://sao.georgia.gov. Click on Travel Regulations and Forms in the Quick Links section to display the Travel Regulations page for more information.

Reimbursement claims for subsistence (meals and lodging) must be reported on travel expense statements segregated by date and location.

An individual taking annual leave while away from headquarters on official business is not entitled to subsistence for the period of leave. With certain exceptions, reimbursement for meals within a 30-mile radius and lodging within a 50-mile radius (or the county) of a person’s home office or residence is not allowable.

Out-of-state travel expenses for meals and lodging may exceed the following limits for travel within the state, but they should be reasonable and any unusual amounts should be justified.

Note: Users may consult Section 19.0, Miscellaneous, of this Manual for additional guidance in the following areas related to travel reimbursement: